Nigel Eaton

Nigel Eaton is an English hurdy-gurdy player. He originally played the piano and cello but switched to the hurdy-gurdy in 1981 when his father, Christopher Eaton, began making them. He was in the bands Blowzabella, Whirling Pope Joan with Julie Murphy and The Duellists with Cliff Stapleton and Chris Walshaw. He has released two solo albums - The Music of the Hurdy-Gurdy (1987) and Pandemonium (2002) and has been featured on other recordings by artists including Jimmy Page and Robert Plant with whom he toured between end of 1994 and early 1996, also Scott Walker, Shelleyan Orphan, Heidi Berry, Gary Kemp, Carl Davies, with whom he performed Abel Gances' Napoleon, Blue Aeroplanes, Martin Simpson, Moya Brennan, Afro Celt Sound System's "Release" (a current edexcel Music GCSE curriculum piece) and many works by Loreena McKennitt. Eaton's film work as a session musician has included Robin Hood, The Shipping News, Kingdom of Heaven, Aliens, Mansfield Park, Tulip Fever and as an extra in the films On Chesil Beach and Darkest Hour.

Contents

• Will the composer please stand up
• Page plant nigel eaton s hurdy gurdy solo when the levee breaks 2 8 1996 hd
• Discography
• References

Nigel Eaton is now a maker of built-in furniture in South London, occasionally a film extra and plays in a trio called Firestarters of Leiden with his Blowzabella band mate Dave Shepherd and Belgian melodeon player Simon Gielen.

Nigel's tune "The Halsway Carol" (lyrics by Iain Frisk) and "Halsway Schottische" has attracted nearly 180 versions and counting on YouTube.